State of Origin: Johnathan Thurston sends scare through Queensland camp

Sun 6 Jul 2014, 8:04 PM AEST

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Johnathan Thurston has sent an injury scare through the Queensland State of Origin camp.

Mark Kolbe: Getty Images

Another headache looms for Queensland coach Mal Meninga after Johnathan Thurston sent a scare through the camp by suffering a knee complaint at training on Sunday.

The key playmaker sat out the final 25 minutes of an opposed session against the Queensland Residents team on the Gold Coast, icing his knee after an on-field collision.

The Maroons held their breath when Thurston stayed down clutching his knee before being moved to the sidelines by medical staff.

Queensland tried to play down the injury after Thurston was seen walking back to his accommodation unaided without any knee strapping.

However, it is another potential drama for a Maroons camp that had just breathed a sigh of relief over Cooper Cronk's miraculous return from a broken arm and winger Will Chambers being cleared of an assault allegation.

"He's a pretty tough bloke. He can take a few knocks and bumps," Maroons backs coach Kevin Walters said.

"It was just a collision between two players and he got hit hard on the knee.

"I would be surprised if there was much in it."

Thurston will be examined again when he relishes a day off on Monday as Queensland count down to Wednesday night's State of Origin game three clash at Lang Park.

Thurston will need to be fighting fit when the Maroons attempt to avoid a rare whitewash in Brisbane.

The Queensland pivot earlier on Sunday predicted more niggling tactics from New South Wales in Origin III after tensions threatened to reach boiling point in game two in Sydney.